IT LOOKS LIKE A GYRATORY. IT OPERATES AS A GYRATORY. IT'S STILL A GYRATORY
Today consultations continue over the future layout of Picardy Place.
Members of the public are invited to attend an event at the City Art Centre between 10am and 7pm, or another tomorrow at Broughton St Mary’s Church on Bellevue Crescent from 3pm till 7pm.
Alternatively, you have until 15 December to comment by visiting the Council’s (in our opinion, rather loaded) consultation hub, where a zoomable pdf of the layout shown here is available. The latest proposals on display represent a revised version of the gyratory offered in September.
There are refinements – including:
- reduction of central island and central crossing island outside John Lewis in order to slightly widen pavements around John Lewis, the Cathedral, Conan Doyle bar and Union Place.
- Shared cycle/pedestrian spaces outside the Cathedral and east side of the central island are now exclusively footways.
- Reduction of lane widths and removal of one lane at central island’s north-east side.
- Improved traffic alignment
- designated spots for the current public art pieces.
But the plan has not fundamentally changed. It remains predicated in the short term on moving at least current volumes of motor traffic more efficiently through the city centre. This risks attracting even more motor traffic, and CEC’s pious hope – that the number of traffic lanes can be reduced ‘over time as more people change to active travel’ – is absurdly vague and likely to remain pie in the sky without firmer commitment.
Redesigning Picardy Place offers an opportunity to discourage motor traffic, but as a bare minimum, perhaps the Council should now allay concerns by drawing up a timetable for such phased lane reductions and detailed plans for the extension of public realm adequately compensating for the space we seem about to lose.
Other reactions Spurtle is aware of include confusion over the apparent disappearance of cycle routes across the central island in favour of a segregated route in front of the Cathedral.
Spokes regard this as a retrograde step, and suspect it may have arisen following public misunderstanding of earlier plans showing too little detail. They’re also disappointed that detailed comments they made back in July have not been adequately addressed.
Spokes are also seeking talks on Leith Street remaining permanently closed given that the current (temporary) arrangement seems to have reduced local traffic congestion.
The Council says further adjustments are possible between now and January. However, given how contractually enmeshed the proposal is in the GAM Agreement, we have little confidence officials will be willing to shift on their basic priorities. Whether councillors have the political will to force their hand remains to be seen.
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